A Tale of Curiosity
by ZarineStorm
Summary: An elf with a desire only to learn more of the world comes across a group of human adventurers. While curious, involving herself with the group threatens her neutrality in the civil war, and the little contact she has with others. Main characters are OCs, though game characters do make an appearance and are referenced. Rated M for future content. On hold.


The Watcher was resting in the shade of a tree when she saw a human step out of the cave. He was covered from head to toe in runite armor, and held an axe with a head that looked like two red arrows. An elf approached him, questioning him. The blonde elf seemed nervous, and with good reason. Two other elves, wielding bows, were creeping up from behind a tree, preparing to shoot him. As usual, she decided to watch events play out instead of interfering, and find out what really is going on in the world.

The elf dropped dead without sound, arrows piercing his heart and his neck. The pair of archers stepped forward, greeting the man, who took off his helmet to speak. They seemed to know why he was there, as their words mostly seemed to be to inform and to command. But why would a human be in the land of the elves? Either way, The Watcher had never seen a human before.

Deciding to follow her usual habit, the one that earned her the moniker "The Watcher," one that was far more familiar to her than her name, she watched as the elves left the human to do what he would. She got up, sticking to the trees and out of sight, followed where he went.

The human wandered a fair amount, appearing somewhat lost, and just as dazed from being in sunlight again. The knight took a few moments to adjust, before heading in the direction that the other elves left in.

He managed to spot the traps fairly well, managing to leap over the harmless-looking leaves scattered in patches, hiding pitfalls that would badly wound him. _Perhaps he's used similar traps for hunting beasts in the past. _He didn't appear confused, but stopped to take in the beauty of this new land, but expertly staying very aware of his surroundings. Lucky for her, he couldn't detect the elf stalking him.

The adventurer was clearly competent, and things were getting more interesting the farther he got. It seemed as if running into traps was common. Although, he had just gotten out of the pass, and that certainly was riddled with all sorts of traps.

It came to be a bit startling when he stumbled right into a trip wire, and the bolts that were fired buried themselves in the weak points of his armor. The crook of an arm, the back of a knee, and the rest managed to slip between the plates and pierce his skin. The poison almost immediately made him drop, unconscious but breathing.

Sighing, The Watcher walked over, and yanked out each bolt, each a bit bloody. The man would be unconscious for a while, between the poison and the rock he hit his head on. At least it gave her enough time to strip off his armor so she might have a chance with pulling him into a safer area. Fiddling with the straps, she had to struggle moving even the breastplate and the pieces attached to it. She moved it to the center of the clearing, as well all of his other things, leaving him lying prone in sweat soaked wool garments. She flipped him over so she could pull him into the clearing more easily.

Examining her new subject of interest, she soaked cloth bandages in a potion for preventing infections, and wrapped them tightly around each wound. He'd have difficulty moving when he would awake – if he'd wake – from having both his legs bandaged at the knee, an arm and the opposite shoulder wrapped tightly in bandages. The poison would continue its course, until she had him drink the antidote she conveniently carried with her, which would only work safely if he were conscious. While she could force it down his throat, he very well could choke, and that wouldn't fit the skill in medicine she had and would try to learn. She began to hope that the potions she had would work on the man, and wondered even more if the man was going to die so soon without her learning much. She made a fire to keep them warm, while she cooked slabs of bear meat from her hunt moments before the encounter with the three elves and the human.

Even after her dinner, the man wasn't awake. She prodded him, checked and double checked that he was still breathing, and pondered the pile of bear steaks with a flask of antidote next to it. An idea came to mind – searching for physical differences. The Watcher's hands probed and prodded, but stopped, realizing that the main differences were that he lacked pointed ears and his bone and muscle structures seemed to be thicker than an elf's.

She decided to leave and come back – he appeared to be well enough now. Since he likely wasn't going to move for quite some time, the Watcher decided to return to the trees to forage and hunt while she planned.

The elf placed her hand on the braids piled on the back of her head, feeling the soft white down she wove between the small braids. Extracting a miniscule whistle, copper and shining, she blew on it sharply, and it emitted a noise akin to a bird of prey. By the time she plucked a handful of berries, a falcon swooped down, seeking the thick falconry glove to land upon. It stared at her, opening and closing its mouth, as if it were going to ask a question but was unsure what to ask. It finally let loose a noise that she knew was supposed to be her name.

"There's a human asleep in the clearing behind me. There should be a pile of blue metal nearby him – his armor – and I want you to guard him and his possessions. I don't want him to know I was watching him and that I will be watching him. I'm just going to get enough berries for two more jars, and I'll hunt rabbits for us. Does that sound good to you?"

Immediately, the bird of prey took off in the direction of the clearing. "Typical Gavin."

As her hands worked to fill the large jars with berries, she pondered why he was on this side of the mountains. _Clearly a group of elves wanted to use him for something, and they mentioned a human king. Perhaps it is another political plan? It is possible, very possible, though strange that they'd be using a human whose land is very different from this one._

Her train of thought continued as she sent a wind strike after a fleeing rabbit, which bowled into a tree, dead. Her magical prowess wasn't exactly weak any longer, though she certainly wasn't a very powerful magician. She could use wind blast, but wouldn't want to waste the runes on something so fragile already. She killed a few more, though one each was enough for the bird and she, something for breakfast and for the road while she followed the man.

It was dusk by the time the elf returned, tossing up a rabbit Gavin, who was perched in a branch directly above the unconscious man. She set aside one of the jars of berries for the man to take with him – everything she'd be leaving him with would probably be seen as things his elfin allies left for him at some point – and began roasting the rabbits.

As it grew darker, more animals woke up. The buzzing of insects grew, as did the hoots of owls and the distant howling of dire wolves. She removed the last rabbit from the spit, deciding she should sleep too. As she tossed soil onto the fire, she heard something stir nearby. Looking up, she saw that the human had woken up. He was propping himself up on his bag, confused and gawking.

The Watcher stopped what she was doing, grabbed her own rucksack, and darted between the trees into the darkness. She didn't stop even after the clearing was far behind her, and she climbed up the largest tree she could find. She carefully tied a large net between two branches, covering the dark netting with a blanket, green fringe covering one of the sides. The elf sat awake, one hand on her rapier, the other fingering the runes for the wind blast spell. She remained on the edge of the netting, scanning the ground, only falling asleep when she heard Gavin's call.

The falcon stayed, keeping watch in an old nest it added on to. It looked on as he called out to the elf that clearly helped him, struggling and failing to stand up and follow. He gave up, and then looked at the bear steak and jar of richly colored berries. A burning sensation throughout his body stopped him from moving towards it, as did the pain in his legs, arm, and shoulder. A flask of antidote was closest to the adventurer, and he took a swig of that before searching through the pile of his armor left to the side, everything intact, and everything present.

At last he relaxed, finding that he wasn't robbed, and he was provided food and a place safe enough to stay the rest of the night. Well, that and he had little choice, given that he couldn't move far. He feasted on the meat and berries left behind, saving his own supplies for later. The burning sensation subsided after eating, after which he wanted to inspect his injuries. A quick, gentle brush of his hand across the bandages around his arm told him that there wasn't a chance of removing them without cutting them, not to mention the likeliness that he'd reopen the wounds. The heat from navigating through the forest in rune armor had taken its toll on him, as had the journey through the pass, the injuries and poison, and the realization that many things in this forest would kill him if given the chance, remembering the traps at every turn. The elf that he first encountered didn't appear dangerous, yet apparently was, considering the others' reactions of immediately shooting the fair haired elf.

He was glad that they were on his side, though he wished they stuck around to lead him back to their camp as he was told to do. The warrior's mind returned to the elf that he saw earlier, who probably left the supplies for him and bandaged his wounds. She very well could have been one of those elves, though why she ran off was yet another question. Either way, she didn't seem to be a major threat, though signs of what is and is not a threat could be very different in this land. The man leaned against the thick trunk of a pine tree, drifting to sleep as he pondered the day's events more. The fire was out from when the chocolate-haired elf smothered it with the soil, leaving the logs still dry to be lit another time, but it was still light enough to see a pair of eyes, that and nothing else, looming above him in the tree, before the gold blinked away a few times, then disappeared entirely.

The human opened his eyes, greeted by the sun and the vibrant forest. Taking inventory again, everything was where it was, he had no new injuries, and there was no sign of anything passing through during the night. He tried flexing; finding his wounds only gave a nagging pain, but a bearable one. He stood up slowly, his limbs complaining with stiffness, and answered back with stretches. When he looked up again, the warrior saw the elf from the other night standing in front of the charred logs.

Her head was cocked to the side, as if asking permission to be there and the feathers woven among the intricate braids on her head blew gently with the wind.

"Thank you for helping me last night. I don't mind if you stay. Actually, I'd prefer it. My name is Aaron."

She answered him a nod that seemed to be more than a nod. She didn't look away from him, but she didn't approach either. A smile crept across her lips, a smile that caused a wide grin to spread across his face, and he felt that it wouldn't end, even though he realized he probably looked like a red-faced idiot by then. As fast as it came, it was gone, and she seemed to be leaning forward slightly.

He tried to think of what to do next as his eyes scanned her, trying to think of something he could do for her. The cream colored tunic and the black leather bodice, pants, and studded knee high boots seemed comfortable, practical, and almost looked formal. Aaron's eyes lingered on the bodice and the short hem of the tunic, just around the tops of her thighs like a very, very short skirt.

Aaron failed to realize that she'd notice this, and she moved her hand to the hilt of her rapier, an easy, graceful movement for the lack of sleeves on the tunic as well as elfin grace, and an unreadable expression across her face. His mind worked faster now, trying to think of something to give her as she turned around, heading back toward the forest.

"Wait! I want to give you something in return. As thanks." The adventurer reached into his backpack, pulling out a necklace he had found on his journey. The diamond in it sparkled brilliantly, and it matched the tiara on her brow. "It's something I've picked up on my travels, though it's nowhere near worth a life, which you've saved mine." He hoped his cringe didn't reach his face, as he felt rather odd giving a diamond necklace to a stranger, and unlike Aaron, the elf did not introduce herself. The man searched her face for any sort of reaction.

She shook her head.

"It's fine, you can have this. I have a few others. Besides, I have a friend who makes quite a few of these." Aaron extends his open hand, the necklace dangling from it as he dares to take a few more steps.

She slowly walks forward, as if expecting him to claw or bite. Instead, she comes close to his hand, and her fingers graze the gold chain.

Aaron opens his eyes, his hand clutching the gold necklace. He sits up quickly, regretting it immediately from the soreness and stiffness of his body. Looking around, he curses that it was only a dream, and staggers up, only glancing at everything, not noticing anything different whatsoever. Half of the food the elf left last night remains, and he has that as his breakfast, and stretches until the stiffness is gone, and the pain doesn't bother him as much.

As he starts packing the bed roll, he looks back, hoping to see the elf there.

He was disappointed.

The Watcher hid up in the tree where the falcon roosted. The man's dream caused him to roll his head around, speaking incoherently, until one phrase was rather loud. ". . . My name is Aaron." He muttered again while fetching a glittering necklace from his pack. He woke up, confused and cursing. She watched him get ready for the day, and as soon as he slipped on his rune helmet, sliding the visor down over his face, he was off again, figuring out where he had stopped and what direction the camp was in.

The elf followed him, watching him navigate around each trap. This time, he noticed the trip wires, and calmly stepped over them. He paused at a log, leading over to his destination – the elf camp he was told to find. Realizing she wouldn't be able to follow him there without being seen by him, she retreated. When she was far enough from the camp, The Watcher blew on the small whistle, and her falcon obeyed. Gavin would continue watching him for her.

With little else to do, the cream-clad elf traveled to a favorite spot of hers, by the ocean and the mouth of a river, and set up a training dummy with a flexible rod poking out in her direction like a sword. She let herself lose track of time, lunging at the large sack over and over, parrying the metal rod with her crystal rapier. The exercise was always tiring, but she never felt like stopping. When she did, it was no more than for a few moments to have a drink of water. She never ate before training, and wouldn't eat until she was long finished.

Once, a friend had walked into her clearing while she was practicing. The elf had nearly been skewered through the stomach, if it hadn't been for the friend's unicorn blocking the blow with its horn.

"Hello, Rhian. It's been quite some time," softly said a darkly colored elf. Her hair was in tight curls down to her hips, and her skin was a shade or two lighter than Eluned. Her unicorn extended its nose towards The Watcher's face, a familiar greeting. There was only one person who would refer to The Watcher by her real name.

"Yes, it has, Cerys. The things I've seen recently have been rather out of the ordinary," replied The Watcher, sheathing her weapon.

"What sort of things?" the archer asked, letting lose a cascade of leaves from her green, scaly armor when she dismounted. She extended one arm, stroking the bare back of the unicorn.

"A human came into our country, through the underground pass. It seems the Iorwerth Clan has plans for him. Elves were waiting for him when he arrived, and the last time I saw him, he was in their camp. Gavin's watching him since I cannot without being seen, though I fear for the bird's safety."

"I think he will manage. Besides, birds are common here, and Gavin is no different. Tell me more about this human."

"He speaks in his sleep, saying his name is Aaron. He's wearing metal armor, runite. Rather than a sword, he wields an axe. He seems skilled and strong, though a tripwire and poison bolts almost felled him."

"You helped him, didn't you? Did he see you?" Cerys questioned. Her voice was low and urgent with a hint of worry.

"He was unconscious. He got a glimpse of me, though I am not certain he'd be able to describe what I look like. I fled as soon as I could when he woke up. He might recognize me if he sees me again. I don't think he will mention me to the elves at that camp. I'll be in trouble though if he does – I hope I can stay neutral on these matters. If I get into any trouble, I'll send you Gavin. You'll know to not look for me and to go into hiding, though I hope you will still be able to watch over your animals. Your unicorn would especially be in danger, since they are so rare."

"Promise me you won't try to follow him again."

"I'm not going to promise that, unless I can get another human I can watch. I've learned so little from this one as it is. I don't think he'll be a danger himself, it's mostly if he lets the Iorwerth know that someone was helping him, they'll think it was one of the rebels since they wouldn't recognize me as one of their own. If anything, as long as he keeps his mouth shut, he's safe. He's probably just a pawn to that clan anyway."

"You're walking on a dangerous line. One wrong move, even a slight waver, and you will fall."

Rhian clasped Cerys's hands in her own. "That's why I'm warning you ahead of time. So you don't fall with me."

By morning, the dark haired elf was gone, likely returning to the creatures she watched over. The Watcher followed her usual routine, waiting for Gavin to return, alerting her that the human was on the move. She continued parrying and reposting, until the crude dummy's rod had flexed much farther than usual, the metal breaking cleanly in the middle, both halves springing to the ground.

Frustrated at both the training tool breaking and the fact that Gavin hadn't yet returned, Rhian stormed over to the edge of the water. Staring into the sapphire waves was something that always calmed her, and there was something about seeing fish that made her smile. She often wondered if she did have some strange connection to the sea. Seconds after turning to the ocean, a slight movement caught her eyes. Without thinking, the elf lashed out with her rapier, her mind still on fighting.

A ribbon of red materialized, before diluting to yellow and dissipating completely. Removing the crystal rapier from the sea, she saw that she did skewer a tuna through its head. Satisfied that the blow did not cause the fish much suffering, she removed it from her weapon, cleaning both it and the blade.

Instead of sheathing it, the rapier was wrapped in a blanket and buried under her bags to stop herself from killing something else accidentally. Rather than lighting a fire with tinder and logs, she stared at the fish, hands full of fire and mind runes. In seconds, a campfire seemed to hover in the air rather than burn logs, and started smoking the tuna.

Seeing Gavin was a relief, as she wanted something to take her mind off of the accidental killing. The trance she entered while holding her weapon was dangerous, and The Watcher worried that someday she may kill an ally or a friend. The falcon dined on the tuna with her, the leftovers stored in the sack she usually filled with food.

The bird began motioning strangely. From the signs Cerys taught her, she knew Gavin was trying to tell her that the human woke up just before he left, and now would be a good time to return to tracking him.

Pleased with the bird, she let it have one more piece of the fish. While it tore into the meat, the elf slung her bags over her shoulders, each resting on the opposite hip, and one across her back. The sacks were small, and easily were attached to the metal rings on the bag straps by hooks. Within five minutes, she was ready to leave, the crystal rapier in hand.

Gavin let out a screech, and then took off. Rhian watched the bird circle the camp a few times, before it finally turned in a different direction, alerting her that the human was on the move. She sought him out, keeping her distance when he was finally within sight

It was rather amusing, seeing him wandering along. Now his backpack seemed to be brimming with supplies, a strange sight considering yesterday when he had very little, though the elves could have given him what he needed, though on some level, she doubted this.

He disappeared behind some trees, and the falcon following him sped up, out of sight. The Watcher followed his footsteps, yet he seemed to have disappeared. She continued searching the general vicinity, but she found absolutely nothing. He didn't leave tracks behind this time, and there were no other signs of him passing through. No activated traps, no broken twigs.

She sighed with frustration, and decided that the falcon could do what she couldn't, and turned around, heading in the direction of the camp, thinking she may be able to hear bits and pieces of what has been going on, and quite possibly where the human was heading off to.

The farther she walked, the more she thought about the dangers she was facing. Spying, possibly interfering with one side's mission, a witness to the Iorwerth clan's activity. At the same time, she was antagonizing the rebels by helping the human who was hired by the ruling clan. By the time she could hear camp activity, she was nervous. The Watcher was known to observe for knowledge, but would that be enough to justify her presence if she was found? No one did really know what she did after gaining the knowledge she wanted in the first place, though most who knew of her believed her to be harmless and inactive in war efforts.

It was easy to remember how quickly the two archers silenced blonde elf that first saw the human.

The Watcher decided to take her chances, for at least a few minutes. She was already guilty of passing by the camp multiple times, and could easily be accused for doing this in the past.

Most of the noises involved fires crackling, footsteps, and idle chatter. A few would speak about weapon prowess, and one finally mentioned a human that could only be Aaron.

"I am glad that he is not staying in our camp, though I wonder how he's managing on his own."

"There are others that seem to be familiar with in the underground pass, and while there are allies of ours there, these other humans that apparently came with him are staying inside. I suppose they would rather not risk coming across with an elf, though only the blue-armored fellow was promised to be sent."

"The others must just be there to support him then. I must say that I am curious about them. It is tempting to lure them out somehow."

"It is best that we do not, as the rebels may try to recruit them if they find out they are there, like the elf that started questioning the human sent to us."

"Yes, and it is quite possible that we are being watched as we speak."

The Watcher cringed, and took it as her cue to leave, slowly creeping away. Her pulse quickened when she stepped on a twig, though she was a fair way from the camp. It was enough to send her racing through the woods, happy that she brought everything that really mattered with her. If she couldn't return, she could make another dummy. The elf didn't realize where she had been running until she reached the very tree she had been resting under before.

Considering that Aaron had allies waiting just inside the tunnels, and that the elves seemed to act as if that it was where he slept, it was a good place to wait. Gavin would find her eventually; he always did.

Dusk came, and a bulky silhouette limped into the clearing, a barrel in his arms. He collapsed, but struggled to keep the barrel upright. Rhian strode over without much thought when she saw the dark stain he left on the grass.

The elf tugged at the barrel, but found that it was far heavier than she anticipated, and decided to help him up instead. "Elf?" the human said hoarsely.

"Yes. It is our country, after all."

The man snorted, then added, "The one who helped me when I tripped that wire?"

Rhian didn't answer. "You have allies in this pass?"

"Answer my question first."

"Yes."

"Then my answer is yes."

"Would you prefer me to get them so they will help you, or would you rather me help you get to the mouth of the cave?"

"The former would be nice, and I'm not that badly wounded. I can move. It's just that this barrel is heavy. And it reeks of the swamp. Just tell them 'Aaron needs help'."

She turned away, and the adventurer hoped that she'd come back with the others and not run again. He stood up to watch her, leaving one hand firmly planted on the barrel.

The Watcher stepped into the cave, easily seeing the glow of torches and a fire. She continued cautiously, stopping just far enough away that they couldn't see her. "Aaron requests your aide."

The sudden movement of feet running caused her to run back outside as well, where they wouldn't get a good look at her. She felt that they were close behind her, but none of them called out. As soon as Rhian felt the nighttime breeze, she stepped to the side of the mouth, where they wouldn't see her on their way out.

Two men and women raced out, their features indistinguishable in the darkness that took over.

"Aaron!" a smooth, deep voice boomed.

"I'm fine, just tired. It took quite a bit out of me, lugging this barrel here. We still need to add some things to it, but my mission is almost finished."

"You are not _fine, _you've been gutted!" one of the women shouted, her accent standing out among the other voices.

The other two stopped, not far from the cave, and seemed to look around while dropping into a fighting stance. The man readied an arrow, pulling the bowstring taught, and the other seemed to be holding a short blade in each hand. They flanked the opening of the cave, lanterns dangling from their arms.

"Who is with you? We know we heard a female voice in the tunnel," said the girl, probably in her teens. Her voice was young, but held a sharpness and bitterness that startled the elf.

"It's the elf that I mentioned before, the one that helped me when I was poisoned from a trap. She's just a bit shy. It's okay; you can come out . . . What is your name, anyway?

The elf stepped away from the cave, into the light of the girl's lantern. "I am known as The Watcher," she softly replied, but the silence seemed to amplify her voice.

The girl closest to her shot forward, daggers pressing to Rhian's neck and the soft flesh of her midriff. "Sister, take her inside. We don't know whose side she's on, and clearly she knows we're here thanks to _Aaron_," growled the other man with the lantern, pointing his bow at her. "Let's get back inside."

Resigned to what was to come, The Watcher allowed herself to be herded into the cave, just as she heard a falcon's cry.

The cave was littered with bags and blankets, crates and tables. She was forced to sit down against the stone walls, worn smooth. The pale siblings bound her hands and feet, and tossed her things into a pile against the opposite wall.

"She isn't dangerous!" Aaron called out, the massive man beside him carrying the barrel with ease. Silk robes swished around the tall, muscular man who remained silent, and a four point star rested against his chest.

"Guard her – or is it a he – while I guard the entrance," the pale man grumbled, striding easily over the bags and out of sight.

The sister obliged, her daggers still drawn and pointing at Rhian. "There is no reason to be –" the elf started, and was answered with the flat side of one cruel dagger pressing into her neck, cutting off her air until she started choking. Rhian couldn't help but notice that this girl did seem to be scared, though didn't let fear get in the way.

"We'll deal with her after Bennett heals you. Hold still!" demanded the wheat-haired girl with the noble's accent, undoing the straps that held Aaron's armor on. "The cuts are only on his stomach."

Bennett knelt down beside him, hands hovering over the deepest cut. A white glow radiated from his palms, and the skin knitted it back together, spreading out to the minor injuries quite quickly. In seconds, the injuries were gone, and Aaron seemed to find enough energy to jump up as soon as his allies stepped away. "Shaye! You can return inside, we'll be fine for the night," hollered Aaron. "Mal, you can relax. I haven't seen her fight or kill anything."

"Then why did she have a sword with her?" the pale girl said shakily. Just like her brother, their skin was translucent enough that their veins easily showed through their skin. The girl noticed this and cringed, leaning away from The Watcher.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you," the elf managed to say.

Shaye strode in, the expression on his face cruel and distrusting. He was motioned over to the table by the cooking fire, where Bennett seemed to be making stew. Their voices hushed, and each of them took turns talking quietly. Rhian couldn't make out much, but she knew they were deciding on whether she was a threat or not, and what they would do with her.

Aaron was clearly the leader, and clearly the most accepting of them. His laxness seemed both confident, but a touch naïve, as if he believed that this stranger they were speaking of couldn't possibly have ill intentions.

The wheat-haired girl spoke up – Adele – who continued the conversation by bringing up the first elf that was questioning their leader before being shot down by the archers who really were allied with the clan Aaron was hired by.

Shaye added on to her argument by asking Aaron if he had ever seen her at the elf camp, another fact that pointed to her being an enemy. If she was one of the Iorwerth elves, she'd have been either at the camp, or with the pair of archers that left Aaron after saving him from the other elf, and proceeded to bring up that she - as Aaron constantly corrected him - must have stolen from him while he was unconscious, and only helped him as to have a target she could continually steal from.

Everyone's eyes fell on Mal, who instead looked at Bennett, unsure what her thoughts were on the elf. The priest looked up from the large pot he was serving from, and appeared to be saying something to defend The Watcher, as everyone relaxed back in their chairs: Aaron with a smile, Adele and Shaye with looks of disgust on their faces.

"Shouldn't argue with a priest," one of them finally decided, and the group got up, fetching clay bowls for their dinner. Aaron had grabbed two bowls, the extra placed at an empty space.

"Mallory, you should go free her. The least we can do is offer her food after binding her like that. We can find out more about her."

She obeyed without a word, expertly undoing the intricate knots in the rope binds. "Thank you," whispered The Watcher. "I will try to answer your questions as well as I can, but I'd like to learn about all of you also. I have never met any humans, so I'd love to hear what you can tell me."

Aaron and Bennett both had wide grins on their faces, as if they were on the verge of laughing. The rest were gawking at her, expecting her to be unwilling. Bennett pulled a stool over for her to sit, while someone placed a spoon at the seat. Thanking them, she took her place, and ate quietly as she waited to be asked questions.

It took ten minutes for someone to speak up. Adele finally asked, "Are you with the elves that Aaron is helping?"

"No."

Shaye bolted upright. "So then you _are_ an enemy!" He picked up a stray fork, pushing it against the elf's throat. "Whose side are you on? Who else is there?!"

"There are rebel elves. I have not sided with them either."

"Rebel elves? I thought King Tyras and his soldiers were the only enemies," Aaron said before taking a bite, which left thick gravy on his lips.

"The Iorwerth clan is the ruling clan of this country, since an heir to the previous King and Queen who perished long ago hasn't stepped up. No one is sure if there is an heir."

"What are they rebelling against? It can't be food or shelter issues, since you're clearly just fine, whoever you've sided with," Adele venomously said.

"I am neutral in these political matters, though it means that I do not have access to any of the settlements. Well, no one is allowed access to Prifddinas outside members of the Iorwerth clan. It's our capitol city. Have you seen the crystal walls nearby the camp?"

"Yes," they answered.

"Why haven't you sided with the ruling clan or the rebels, then?" Mallory said. Her voice was much kinder now, though it still held its fragile brittleness.

"It would mean that I'd have to stay inside the walls of one of the settlements. I wouldn't be able to leave the walls without having an attempt on my life made. The Iorwerth clan knows I am talented with my rapier, and wanted me as a soldier, and they are aware that I have plenty of knowledge that others may or may not be aware of. I'd be a valuable warrior and spy, though they'd need to give me some training."

"Considering that they're the ruling clan, wouldn't it be good to join them?"

"As tempting as it would be to be able to enter the capitol again, have access to trade merchants, and several other benefits, the Iorwerth also keep many secrets. I do not know what they might really want me for, what will become of our city, and what the king who sent you here want from us elves."

"What about the rebels?"

"The Iorwerth clan is dangerous to antagonize, the rebel's settlement tends to move to stay hidden, and the rebels . . . Well, considering that you work for King Lathas and the Iorwerth clan, I'd rather not tell you more about them. They wanted me to join them for similar reasons as Lord Iorwerth, and they also know I fare well on my own. Food is always bountiful, if you know where to look and if you are willing to try new things. I am not sure how true this is, considering I do not hear much about the war efforts, so aside from overthrowing the Iorwerth clan - which should be obvious - I'm not sure what else they have in their plans, if they managed to gain strength. My choices are fighting for a group where I likely will be forced to do much I do not agree with, especially since they ally with humans, a race I have little experience with. The other choice is joining a group that I've never even seen, as they approach me periodically just as much as the Iorwerth clan does, and joining them would likely mean a brutal death and the possibility of being completely closed off from the rest of the world. I may not like large crowds, but I believe the other races and other places have so much knowledge to offer us. The elves likely wouldn't want to adopt other customs, but it certainly doesn't hurt to be aware of them and have experience in other settings."

Bennett, who remained the only who had yet to ask a question, passed out waterskins and started cooking something else on a makeshift range, something The Watcher had only read about.

"What is your name? I don't believe I've heard it yet," chirped Adelle.

"The Watcher."

"What kind of a name is that?!"

"It is not my real name. Most elves refer to me by that, and have long before I stopped living with others."

"Why are you called that?" Mallory asked curiously. Aside from Aaron and perhaps Bennett, she seemed to be accepting enough of the elf.

"I have the tendency to observe what goes on in the world a fair bit. Others have been annoyed by this, as they sometimes believe I simply sit idle while I could have been helping the rest of the village. People who are not in my circle of friends and family only know a few things about me: I am quiet, intelligent, and only want to learn more about the world. People wonder what secrets I am aware of."

"What is your real name, then?"

"I only tell close friends that. Maybe someday you will know if our paths cross a few more times and we learn to trust each other. I really am not sure what I could ask you about your lives and the human cities, but I am curious about what you do and how you all met." The watcher could see mixed reactions from them. Most of the group grew stiff and tense, but Bennett and Aaron seemed to be fine with answering her.

"I suppose I'll start first," Aaron said, "I started out my career, if you could call it that, as a soldier. I'd say that it was fairly uneventful, and I left to try my hand at being a trader. When I couldn't do much at the grand exchange, I ended up offering myself as a sell sword. I've done a few odd jobs, as well as acting as a body guard. It's the odd jobs that started my adventures, during which I met the rest of the group. For the most part, I try to find jobs for us, and aside from that, my talents are with my dragon axe."

Bennett returned to the table with a chocolate cake, already sliced. "I was trained in Varrock as a priest. Aside from that, Aaron has helped me out a few times, and I ended up joining him. As you can assume, I usually heal our party members, manage how our pay and rewards are divided, take care of the camp, and do the cooking."

"Basically, he's our mother and housekeeper," Adele laughed, as well as the rest of the group, including Bennett.

"Yes, that just about sums it up. It's your turn to tell your story, Adele."

"Oh, all right. I'm a magician. I make my own runes when I can," she said, gesturing to her robes and the pouches on her hips. "I hired Aaron before he became an adventurer, when he was also _trying_ to be a trader. After a while, I fired him because I was leaving home so I could practice magic more extensively, and I ended up running into him again sometime later and joined him and Bennett."

All eyes rested on Shaye. "Archer. Some experience with thieving, though I am not a criminal. Mallory and I met the rest of the crew during one of their missions." His curtness seemed to be common enough that the others paid no attention to this, or his very short explanation.

"I've been with my brother all my life," she glanced over at him, and he apparently shot her some kind of look, as she cringed and her expression changed. "Instead of archery, I fight with two daggers, as you saw, were about the length of my forearms and hands. Only one is a dragon dagger, the other is rune, and I'm trying to get another dragon dagger to replace it. Aside from that, I have some alchemy experience."

"Isn't it a bit late now?" Shaye said, as soon as she finished speaking. "Why don't we prepare for tomorrow and go to sleep? I'll take the first watch. I think it's time that you leave, elf."

The others rolled their eyes, but agreed with him. In seconds, the table was cleared, and everyone was doing something else: organizing runes, washing dishes, fletching arrows, making potions. Aaron stayed behind. "Thanks again for helping me. Sorry about the others, they really are good people. While I am the leader, Shaye is the leader when I'm not around, but don't mind him. They're just tired, that's all. Will I see you again?"

"Maybe."

"If I need your help again, Watcher, will you help me?"

"Maybe."

The next day, Rhian was back at her usual camp, and woke up to find Cerys, also just waking up, beside her. Having little need for words at this point, they went about the camp as they usually did in the morning when they were together. Rhian gathered food while Cerys tended to her unicorn, Rahz, and cooked when Rhian came back. Gavin hadn't appeared, but Rhian remembered he was present as she was herded into the cave, and he probably roosted there for the night, still watching the humans.

They parted ways after two hours of talking, one to mend the weapon of the dummy, the other to see to her other animals. By the time Cerys returned, night had fallen, and they continued their morning conversation – what the rebels and what the Iorwerth clan were up to.

While they listed reasons to and not to join the Iorwerth clan and the rebels of Lletya, a short rumble rolled in from the south, followed by a strange glow.

"A forest fire?" the dark haired elf said, deciding it was enough of a concern. "I certainly hope not, though it wouldn't surprise me if it is. Perhaps we should go investigate. I don't want much to burn, and this is going to upset my flock."

"I wonder if this has anything to do with a raid by either group, though there isn't much down there aside from . . . Of course. There is a camp of humans down that way. The only humans they could be are King Tyras and his men!"

"We have to make sure we aren't seen, then. If King Lathas wants his brother dead and the Iorwerth clan is carrying this out for him, helping those humans would mean antagonizing them."

Both quietly packed what they knew they would need. Cerys attached a large bucket to each hip, deciding to leave her unicorn behind. She had her bow and an arrow ready, just in case if they ran into someone who caused the fire. The Watcher filled a small bag with runes for water bolt, hoping that it would be enough.

The silence was broken when Gavin flew in from the south, which was odd, considering the camp was just east of where they were. When he finally landed, both could see his feathers were singed, and the bird was very anxious. He wouldn't even respond to Cerys, who had raised him from an egg, who had a strong gift for animals. All they could do was try to calm him.

One rabbit they hadn't cooked became his food, though he could barely tear a good piece off with how much he shook.

"I don't think I want to go find what happened, considering the condition it left Gavin in." Cerys said, her voice trembling. She placed the buckets back with the other supplies. "He doesn't seem injured. Only a few feathers are burnt."

"I'd rather not run into whatever caused him to be like this. The humans can deal with their own fire." She still wanted to act, but she worried about Gavin, and began to believe that Aaron had something to do with this.

The next morning, the bird was still too afraid to move, but he would speak to Cerys, who translated for The Watcher.

"The human was at the human camp to the south. I didn't want to lose him, so I didn't come get you. He had a barrel with him, and before I knew it, one of the tents burst into flame. I was standing on a crate near the tent. The explosion deafened me for a while. I don't know where the human is now, but he did what he was told to do, and he wasn't given any other orders." Cerys said in a monotone voice, her eyes locked in the falcon. Tears started flowing, Rhian, for ordering him to follow Aaron in the first place, and Cerys for not worrying when he had been gone for more than a day.

"He must have stayed nearby. It's still early in the day, and this human seems to sleep a fair bit."

"Gavin is _not_ going back there."

"He won't be. No doubt he'd be looking for a water source. He might return to the camp since the river runs right by it, and I think he'd probably go alert whoever hired him that the deed is done, whatever the deed may have been."

"Are you sure humans would think to do that?"

"At least this one might. He must have a fair amount of common sense if he's strong enough for elves to want to higher him." She refused to think about the night she met the group of humans, as she was sure some evidence of it would flicker across her face and give it away.

"I'm not going to stop you. Just don't let yourself be seen outside of Prifddinas. I hope you don't intend let yourself be seen by him. You know very little about him, and there always is that chance that he is or will be an enemy. If he keeps working for the Iowerth clan, helping him would mean taking sides, and if you keep lingering outside their camp, they may think you're a spy. I don't see how you're going to manage staying neutral when a civil war is going on, but we better decide soon. Our thoughts yesterday didn't seem to bring us any closer to our decision."

"I'll think about that later. Right now, I need to make sure I beat him to the camp," replied The Watcher as she ran along the riverside. The bank twisted several times, and tree roots often jutted out, holding the bank together. The grass was coated with dew, and the elf almost slid into the water, grabbing for a tree just in time. Swinging herself back up, she realized that the elf camp was within view, and debated with herself on whether they saw her or not. She paced back and forth on the other side of the tree line, and saw no recent signs of the warrior.

Impatient, she returned to the clearing that she dragged him into the day before, almost tripping on his bag. Clearly he was here earlier, and intended to return. The Watcher paused, realizing that he'd probably leave some sort of tracks in the grass, or may have broken small branches if he tried venturing through the thick trees, or even a trap that had been activated. Patches of the vibrant grass seemed to be a bit flattened, easily happening from someone standing on it, and especially while wearing several kilograms of heavy armor. She was on the right track – a trip wire had been activated, and two of the bolts littered the ground, from hitting metal plates at an angle. The tips of the bolts seemed to be bent and dented somewhat. Leaping over the obstacle, she continued towards the underground pass.

Within sight of the pass entrance, she saw a pack of dire wolves ganging up on a blue-clad man, fighting both the wolves and the poison. One starving wolf lunged forward, but was knocked aside with the flat side of Aaron's axe with a loud crack. He saw her, and called out to her for help. The other closest to him moved low the ground, and then hopped up, biting his face while one large paw clawed at his neck, carving deep gashes with its already bloodied claws. Again and again it bit down, leaving puncture wounds in the flesh of his cheeks.

This time, she did not jump to his aide. Wolves don't usually attack people, or at least elves, unless they did something to provoke them. Rhian looked around the clearing, wondering if he wandered too close, or if he actually started attacking the wolves. She found her answer when she saw the corpse of a bear, brutally marked by both claws, jaws, and a large slash that could only have been from an axe.

Still, the wolves were only trying to survive. She justified involving herself in the situation by stopping Aaron from attacking the wolves to save them, and convince the wolves to move on and take their prey with them before any were killed. Rhian ran to the wolf the adventurer had batted away, leaving him to have his head clawed and bitten. The wolf was merely dazed, and it stayed down when it sensed that she meant no harm. Removing a rabbit from her rucksack, she dropped it by the wounded wolf, which sniffed the rabbit and the elf. It seemed to understand that she was no danger, probably from smelling the scent of another elf that worked so closely with animals.

The wolf attacking Aaron finally stopped, needing to plan its next move when the man shoved it off. It was preparing to pounce when The Watcher slipped behind Aaron, then sharply pulled him back while trying to kick the backs of his knees. Like she wanted, he toppled to the ground, spread eagled.

"Don't move," she growled at him, snatching his weapon and tossing it behind her, kicking the full helmet aside after it.

The wolves still seemed hostile, at least to him, but now they devoured the rabbit, and howled. Within fifteen minutes, the rest of the wolves dragged the bear out of the clearing. The two that were fighting Aaron earlier looked back, and then continued on out of sight.

"You can get up now. Go back to where you stayed for the night."

Aaron obeyed, hands clutching at the bloody wounds on his neck and face. He started bending down to scoop up the helmet, until the elf stopped him and urged him to go back to the other clearing while she got his helmet and axe.

By the time they got back, the warrior had collapsed to his knees, hands still covering his face and neck. Rhian pried his hands off, wrapping dry bandages around his neck first. The wolves didn't hit an artery, though it came close to that. Either way, the wound was still bleeding a fair amount, and it was more important than saving what remained of his face.

The Watcher had to struggle pulling his hands off his face, which were now smeared with blood. When he finally gave in, she could see that his cheeks were punctured from the dire wolf's canines. She counted around eight marks on each side of his face, and there was a scrape on his nose. Nothing else was wrong that she needed to fix. Before she could tell him, he took another swig of antidote from the flask. His strong facial features included a prominent bone structure, and all of the features tightened when droplets of the lime green liquid started leaking through the wounds in his cheeks, prompting the elf to tilt his head back more.

Aaron sputtered as he pulled the flask away from his lips, and was left gasping for several minutes while the elf made a fire. He watched as she killed a rabbit that hopped into view without a second thought, the poor creature knocked into a tree from the small burst of water magic that struck it. Moments later, it was roasting on a spit.

The dream returned to the knight's memory, and he pulled the diamond necklace out of a pocket, as he had kept it on him since he had dreamt. He continued rolling the warm stone across his palms, watching it catch the light. _No,_ _not yet._ "Thank you for helping me. I wish I could do something for you in thanks, but with how things have been going, I have a feeling I won't be anytime soon."

"I have an idea: you could leave. You did all that you were told to do right? Then get out of here."

"What? I –,"

"King Tyras is dead, isn't he? The barrel you had you made into an explosive and killed him."

"Yes, but –,"

"If a rebel elf sees me with you, it means that I decided to join the Iorwerth clan. Here I am, helping you, and you killed King Tyras, the major ally of the rebel elves!"

His mouth opened, but nothing came to his mind to say.

The elf looked to the priest, and a new thought dawned on her. "What god does Bennett follow? The rest of your group must at least accept his god if he's with the group."

"Bennett is a Saradominist. Shaye and Mallory are too, and as far as I know, so is Adele."

"King Lathas is a follower of Zamorak. His brother, who you just _killed_, was a Saradominist. At least religion-wise, you've all been helping your enemy!"

When she looked up, she saw that the rest of the group had emerged from all the commotion of the fighting. They stood in a row, dumbstruck at the elf's last statement. Shaye and Mallory embraced, eyes shut tight, turning back to the camp. Bennett wrapped one hand around his symbol of Saradomin, and started a prayer with Adele, their heads tilted skyward.

"You better come with us into the pass, Watcher."

"What for? Being around any of you any longer is going to force me to choose sides, but clearly, you are not even aware of who you have really sided with."

Gavin let out a cry, circling overhead, and Cerys appeared from the trees, the same area that Rhian had come through. The falcon swooped down, landing on the leather pad on the dark haired elf's shoulder.

"You are really risking us both, you know. Now, both sides could very well be out to kill us. We've helped mercenaries aiding the ruling clan, and we've also made them antagonize that clan!"

"Look, we aren't sure what's going on here, all we know is that we've been fooled, and we're taking down The Watcher and you down with us. I don't think that should happen! Just come into the cave with us, and we'll try to figure something out that will benefit all of us!"

"Cerys, we would be safer if we were not out in the open. We should at least stay until we have the cover of night to hide in, and at least we will figure out who we will give our allegiance to."

She resigned, and followed her friend into the pass. The rest of the group were gathered around the table – now covered with a white cloth – and seemed to either be praying, or were in some state of regret. Aaron joined them at the table, doing neither.

Shaye opened his eyes, glancing at Rhian, ignoring the fact there was another strange elf in the cave with them. "I, as do the others, apologize for not trusting you before you revealed the truth of what we've been doing." His voice still was cold to The Watcher.

"You and your friend do not deserve any sort of danger you risked because you sensed something unusual going on," Mallory added, her eyes staring at the candles on the table, but really seemed to be elsewhere.

"Aaron and Bennett were right to welcome you here." Adele looked straight ahead, hands resting on one of the candles. "It's strange, how a single statement can change one's perspective on things. You were only curious about us, but it risked you and your friend's lives."

"You've wanted to stay neutral in this civil war, both of you, I assume. I understand that The Watcher seeks knowledge, but what do you seek . . . Cerys, was it?"

"Creatures of all forms are my specialty."

"We can offer you two a place with us. We'd gain a fair bit from having you around, and though we know next to nothing of Cerys, I'm sure things will work out with you, too. We can offer you neutrality without risk by leaving with us, offer adventures that would result in knowledge and experience with creatures you've never heard of before. While it wouldn't be safe – danger always exists – you would be safe from the rebels and the Iorwerth clan, if you wish to stay neutral."

Both elves looked up, seeing that everyone was waiting for their response.

"I accept your offer. If you wish to leave soon, I always carry with me everything I really need. A training dummy for practice is little compared to practicing with something – be it beast or otherwise- as a dummy lacks a mind. I seek knowledge and skill, and your offer is too good a chance to pass up." The Watcher placed her bags in a pile, where they had been two nights ago.

"I decline."

The cream-clad elf bolted up, stunned by Cerys's answer.

"As good as the offer is, I have animals I take care of. Raz, my unicorn, various birds and other creatures, all of them I watch over though they do not need me to take care of them like human pets."

"Cerys, the civil war is only going to get worse now that King Tyras has been killed."

"Yes, and that's _his_ fault. The forest may change quite a bit now that such a blow has been struck at the rebels. If more fires burn, the forest's resources will become more precious. Food will become scarce."

"You were always a believer of the animals taking care of themselves, but always standing by with them, and helping them if they were sick. War does not mean the animals will suffer as well. All elves cherish nature; harm should not come to them."

"Unicorns are rare, and if I leave, Raz will likely be wanted by one of the sides. They will want him for magical purposes, war, or some other reason. He is in danger the most, and I will not leave him so I can be safe. He couldn't come all the way through this pass – you were the one who told me all about the numerous traps and small walkways that he wouldn't be able to go through. The above ground pass would not be open anytime soon. Like we promised before, you may take Gavin with you."

The bird glided from his previous master's shoulder, the one who had raised him from an egg, on command to Rhian. Instead of walking away, Cerys moved closer, palms facing her friend. Rhian mimicked the motion, connecting their hands. Both began to sing some sort of spell that didn't require runes, but drained the energy from their bodies.

When the singing stopped, Gavin was the first to make noise. "Cerys, I will miss you, but I know I will see you again."

The humans still looked on in wonder, unsure of what happened. Rhian uncovered another scabbard from among her things, passing it to Cerys.

Drawing the blade, she found it to be a second crystal rapier.

"You shared your talent for animals with me, so I'm sharing my talent of fencing with you."

"Do you think this connection we just made is strong enough for me to borrow your skill to use this? Besides, it must have been difficult for you to get a crystal seed, let alone have it sung into this."

"Of course it will. I couldn't understand anything Gavin said before, and now I could probably understand a unicorn. I sung that rapier myself. I always had two, though I realized I never would use a shield, so it is better that you have a second weapon, just in case your archery isn't enough to stop foes at a distance. I . . . Goodbye."

Rhian watched as Cerys exited the cave, feeling as if she had lost something of great value. Worn out from the day's events, she turned away, and tried in vain to prevent herself from weeping; only worsening from the muted prayers uttered behind her. Rather than joining them, she moved to the far wall, contemplating if her decision was truly worth it.

She hated how that last word, "goodbye" sounded. To her, nothing sounded so final, so permanent compared all other phrases she could have used, since the only times she had uttered that was to people she never saw again.


End file.
